Last updated on April 8th, 2022 at 04:26 pm
Blockchain is a novel technology with different job opportunities. At the moment, there is a higher demand for qualified blockchain professionals compared to the supply. This is one reason that the incentives that are offered to workers are lucrative enough to entice anyone. Breaking into the world of blockchain is not as difficult as many people think it is. There are various job roles available in this field, both technical and non-technical in nature. Not everyone must know how to code before they can enter the blockchain space.
Today, we will focus on a crucial role that tends to attract a high pay for those that are qualified. Being a blockchain quality assurance engineer is achievable, as long as you know what you are doing.
Who is a Blockchain Quality Assurance Engineer?
A blockchain quality engineer has the responsibility of ensuring that a blockchain works effectively. They are involved in the development and operational processes. These professionals have to carry out different tests, both automated and manual on frameworks, dashboards, applications, and every aspect of the blockchain.
A blockchain quality engineer is always learning, and trying to be informed of new changes in the field. This means that they have to continuously research blockchain tools and submit their recommendations on the changes that have to be made for the operations to work effectively or improve.
Their roles involve them creating quality assurance (QA) automated test standards.
This field is a fast-paced one with new innovations being ushered in daily, meaning that a quality engineer has to be abreast with the different Blockchain concepts and their implementations.
Apart from having the above skills, these engineers need to have communication and report writing skills, to actively communicate their thoughts to other members of the team.
The salary range for Quality Assurance Engineers
Blockchain engineers, in general, are highly paid, while working comfortably remotely. This implies that a Blockchain Quality Engineer residing in South Africa can work for a company based in Dubai.
According to CBNC, “Blockchain engineers are making between $150,000 and $175,000 in annual salaries on average. Blockchain engineers are the top paid roles in software development, on par with specialists focused on artificial intelligence. Demand for blockchain engineers has increased by 400 percent since late 2017 on Hired, a firm that helps clients recruit tech candidates.”
Educational Requirements of a Blockchain Assurance Engineer
Becoming a blockchain assurance engineer generally requires:
- A Bachelors in Computer Science or Software Engineering
- An understanding of programming languages like Solidity and Rust
- A course in cryptography
- A course in blockchain assurance engineering.
Skillset of a Blockchain Quality Assurance Engineer
A blockchain quality engineering role can be filled by anyone, as long as they possess the necessary skill set, which will be discussed below:
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Understanding the basics
A professional quality engineer should have a deep understanding of the scope of this technology, which includes smart contracts, cryptocurrency, Non-Fungible Tokens, consensus mechanism, and so on. Understanding these concepts and what they mean should be a primary skillset.
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In-depth knowledge of principal coding languages.
Before one can be an astute blockchain quality assurance engineer, one have to possess an intense knowledge of principal programming languages.
Some languages that are expected of a professional in this role are Javascript, Solidity, Python, and Clojure. While mastering these languages, it is key that the person has a portfolio with projects that show their strength in these languages. It is difficult to get a job without having any of these programming languages at one’s fingertips.
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Understand cryptography
Blockchain functions through cryptography, and that is why it is a highly secure technology. Possessing knowledge of cryptography will go a long way to make the quality assurance engineering job easier, as the professional can spot out what aspects of the blockchain are open to possible attacks. How can one know if a blockchain is working effectively if they do not understand principal cryptography algorithms like asymmetric key algorithms and hash functions?
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In-depth knowledge of blockchain platforms
Different blockchain platforms exist for varying purposes. Some are seen as private, or public, permissionless or permission, and so on. They have different features, meaning that as a quality engineer, the professional has to understand what makes the varying blockchains tick. This means that it is important that they have an understanding of the notable platforms and architecture like Hyperledger.
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Understand blockchain development and quality assurance tools
Having an understanding of how the different development and quality assurance tools work is important for any blockchain quality engineer. It is necessary to learn how to use the different tools and libraries.
Similar Fields To This Role
Blockchain Quality Engineers are not the only professionals working in this space. For those that want something else, other options will be discussed.
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Blockchain Developer
At the moment, the demand for blockchain developers is quite high, and there is hardly any blockchain-based company that is not currently looking for professionals to add to their team. They are programmers that create applications on the blockchain. To work effectively as one, the person has to possess in-depth knowledge of the technology, and its interaction with applications.
A typical blockchain development role needs the professional to understand blockchain, web development, data structure, and experience in some programming languages.
The job of a blockchain project manager is similar to what is expected in any project manager working in a tech environment. Their duty is to communicate the needs of the company to the development experts. They act as the conduit between the company and the experts. Not only do they communicate the needs of the company to the developers, but they also translate the technical aspects of a project to a simplified manner for the company to understand.
The project manager needs to understand the activities of blockchain while possessing the qualifications of a project manager. Project managers should have impeccable communication skills as well.
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Blockchain Administrator
Some people gain entrance into the blockchain space through this role before they scale the ladder and migrate to other fields in the ecosystem. It is not as highly paid as others because it is seen as an entry-level position that propels employees to better positions in the space.
Their duty is to create, develop and maintain the components in a blockchain. They have to ensure that the various tools and parts in the architecture are working effectively.
Before anyone can carry out this task, they have to possess a strong knowledge in blockchain, programming languages, and Linux/UNIX.
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Blockchain Web Designer
Every blockchain-based company must have a website that can be accessed by people. These websites communicate to the clients on the features and updates that a company has, meaning that there is a demand for web designers with ties to the blockchain space.
The blockchain web designer has to create an intriguing user interface that will improve the customer experience on the website.
Where To Learn Blockchain Quality Engineering
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Blockchain online courses
Learning has gone online, making it easy for people to gain an understanding of esoteric courses. Some of these courses are free, while others are paid.
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University certification
Some universities have begun to add blockchain-based courses, which can be taken both online and in physical classrooms. It is advisable to search for universities around you that offer courses like this.
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Free knowledge
The internet is a hub of knowledge, both paid and free. There are different platforms that an intending quality engineer should use if they want to improve their understanding and knowledge of the workings of the ecosystem.
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Reddit
In Reddit, there are a lot of threads discussing the recent happenings in the blockchain space that are useful to everyone. A blockchain quality engineer has to be abreast with the new changes in the space, and this is something that can be achieved with belonging to the right subreddits.
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YouTube
The reach of YouTube is sometimes underestimated by people. With the right channels, one can learn both the fundamentals and complexities of any subject matter on YouTube.
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Podcasts
Podcasts that are centred on the blockchain are an awesome place to listen to thoughts from the leaders in the space, as well as find out the recent happenings.
In Conclusion
- Blockchain quality assurance engineering is a lucrative job opportunity.
- Having an in-depth knowledge of blockchain architecture and tools is important.
- There are other job roles available for those that want to enter the blockchain space but don’t want to be a quality engineer.
- Learning blockchain quality engineering is feasible via a paid or a free option.
- The crucial roles of a blockchain quality engineer can’t be underestimated.
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